Not one VAZ “toured”: What was the export “Moskvich”?

What was the export version of Moskvich, called Aleko in France.

Moskvich-2141 reached its peak in sales in Western Europe, from 1990 to 1993. The model was sold under the name Aleko 141 and Aleko SL by a French dealer Poch.

Russian hatchbacks were processed to the needs of Western buyers and were offered only in luxury trim levels. Export Moskvich-Aleko received new bumpers with skirts and special linings for doors and fenders installed to improve aerodynamics.

The model also differed from the original in the form of a radiator grille and the presence of a spoiler on the trunk lid. In addition, even in the basic configuration of the Aleko SL hatchback, an ABS system was installed.

Although the Moskvich was caught up to the level of a European car with modifications, its sales were average because Aleko 141 looked outwardly similar to the already outdated French model Simca 1307.

For a period of three years, from 1990 to 1993, Moskvich-2141 sold 400 thousand units. In general, the model was produced from 1986 to 1998, after which it was replaced by a modified model 2141-0, called “Svyatogor”. Svyatogor became the car with the highest level of passive safety, among all serial models produced in the USSR.

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